Donncha to lead Lions

Donncha to lead Lions

15 Jun 2009

Ireland lock Donncha O’Callaghan will skipper the Lions against the Southern Kings on Tuesday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

O’Callaghan becomes the fourth player to skipper the team on the tour thus far and will pack down alongside veteran Simon Shaw in the second row, while scrumhalf Mike Blair is fit to take his place in the starting XV.

There had been concerns over the fitness of Blair and team doctor Gary O’Driscoll said on Sunday that the Scotland No 9 would be given until Tuesday to overcome a mild ankle strain, but coach Ian McGeechan confirmed that Blair took part in training on Monday and is fit for Tuesday’s clash in Port Elizabeth.

Nathan Hines has been selected at No 6 and McGeechan confirmed that it had originally been in the team’s plans to play him at both lock and flank.

‘Nathan has played there before with Perpignan,’ McGeechan said. ‘It’s the logical choice because Nathan is a player who can provide cover in the second row and at No 6.’

James Hook, who came on to slot the winning penalty at the weekend against Western Province, has been selected at flyhalf while Keith Earls moves from centre to fullback.

‘James has been playing brilliantly and with a lot of confidence,’ said McGeechan. ‘His goal kicking has been very accurate and he can cover at flyhalf, centre and fullback which gives us plenty of flexibility.’

Up front Andrew Sheridan has been selected at loosehead for the second game running, but will likely feature again in Durban on Saturday with Gethin Jenkins the only other natural option at No 1.

It seems unlikely that the likes of Earls, Hines, Joe Worsley and possibly Andy Powell will feature in the starting line-up for the first Test after playing two games in just four days.

However, McGeechan reiterated that every player in the squad would be considered for selection up until Wednesday morning.

The Lions are expected to do battle on Tuesday in front of the biggest crowd of the tour thus far, with the EPRU aiming to sell 40 000 tickets having already given away another 7 000.

Lions – 15 Keith Earls ,14 Shane Williams, 13 Riki Flutey, 12 Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Blair, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Joe Worsley, 6 Nathan Hines, 5 Donncha O’Callaghan (c), 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Andrew Sheridan.
Subs: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Adam Jones, 18 Tom Croft, 19 David Wallace, 20 Harry Ellis, 21 Ronan O’Gara, 22 Ugo Monye.


29 Comments

  • 1.grant10: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 12:45 pm

    go the kings

  • 2.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 12:47 pm

    So, who’s the farking Team to play then ??

  • 3.Staal: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 12:48 pm

    #2 grootblousmile: :lol: relax….kry bietjie Valium!

  • 4.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 12:50 pm

    Looks like quite a crowd turnout, the EC supporters are ‘rugby hungry’.
    Should be good.
    Wish they can get a good team going down there again, like in the old days when EP lost with a mere one pointer to the 1976 All Blacks.
    C’mon Tony McKeever, do your thing!

  • 5.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 12:51 pm

    #2 grootblousmile:
    Mostly invited players, only three ‘ethnic’ EC guys in there.
    Pity.

  • 6.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 12:58 pm

    #5 Pietman: Pieta, ek praat vannie BI Lions… wie is in hul span vir more se game ??

    Ek het reeds die Southern Queens se span / squad gesien…

  • 7.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 12:59 pm

    #3 Staal: Hey, ek is soooo relaxed, ek is omtrent slapgat vandag !!

    Sallie eers ‘n gholfstok kan vashou nie…

    Hehehe

  • 8.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:03 pm

    #6 grootblousmile:
    Nee, wetie van die rooi span nie.

  • 9.Skim: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:10 pm

    Daai Kings Span lyk glad nie sleg nie….. baie beter as die saamgeflonsde Royal XV

  • 10.KingPaul: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:10 pm

    #6 grootblousmile: Dis omdat julle eers Kakie met mekaar gepraat het dat julle mekaar misverstaan? Julle moet ligloop vir die rooitaal…. hehehehe

  • 11.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:12 pm

    #9 Skim:
    Ja, hulle lyk ok.
    Maar onthou hulle het tot manne van oorsee af ingebring, ouens wat nog nooit eens in hulle lewe in die Baai was nie!.

  • 12.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:17 pm

    Derrick Kuun:

    “It is certainly important that we help them [the Kings] get off the ground,”

    “Just look at the history of how important rugby was in the Eastern Cape,” he said, adding: “Eastern Province was one of the powerhouses of South African rugby and for many this is where rugby started.

    “When we arrived here [in Port Elizabeth for the Kings versus Lions game] you could see there was something missing.

    “These people can’t travel to other big centres [like Cape Town, Pretoria or Johannesburg] to watch rugby and the people are in need of something like this.

    “Even for South Africa in general it would be great if there could be a strong franchise.”

    They have already SOLD 35 000 tickets, hoping to break the 40 000 mark which will be a record for a non test against any B&I Lions team.

    7 000 tickets have been given away.

  • 13.BlackPanther: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:24 pm

    #4 Pietman:

    That was yet another home ref presumably ?

    Number of neutral refs on the 1976 All Black tour of SA – incl provinces and Tests vs Boks ? = Z E R O.

  • 14.Dantalion: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:24 pm

    Looking forward to see the new stadium. Would be even better if it’s a full house.

  • 15.XhosaKid: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:27 pm

    #5 Pietman: As PA always stresses, its just an exhibition game, but it would have been nice to have EC/SWD born players, then this team would have really given the Lions a run for their money

    15. Zane Kirchner ( George)
    14. Fabian Juries ( Grahamstown)
    13. Luzuko Vulindlu ( Grahamstown)
    12. Gcobani Bobo ( King Williamstown)
    11. Jongikhaya Nokwe ( Qoboqobo)
    10 Francois Steyn ( Aliwal North)
    9. Rory Kockott ( East London)
    8. Ryan Kankowski ( Port Elizabeth)
    7. Deon Stegmann ( Cradock)
    6. Luke Watson (Port Elizabeth)
    5. Steven Sykes ( Middelburgh)
    4. Johan Muller ( Mossel Bay)
    3. Ryno Gerber ( Port Elizabeth)
    2. Bandile Maku ( King Williamstown)
    1. Pat Barnard ( Port Elizabeth)

    Coached by Eric Sauls, assistants Rassie Erasmus and Mark Andrews.
    with the likes of Dewald Potgieter and Keegan Daniels making up reserve loosies, any I can dream!!!

  • 16.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:30 pm

    #13 BlackPanther:
    Images of that Welshman who cost us the ’81 series springing to mind immediately….Clive Norling was it!

  • 17.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:31 pm

    #15 XhosaKid:
    Blikskottel, now you are talking!
    Eishhhhhh man!

  • 18.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:32 pm

    Likely Lions test team then:

    1. Jenkins
    2. Mears
    3. Jones/Vickery
    4. Wyn-Jones
    5. O’Connell
    6. Croft
    7. Williams
    8. Heaslip
    9. Phillips
    10. Jones
    11. Fitzgerald/Monye
    12. Roberts
    13. O’Driscoll
    14. Bowe
    15. Byrne

    mobile side.

  • 19.katman: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:40 pm

    Who is packing down in the Kings’ front row? Because I sure as hell wouldn’t want to scrum against a Sheridan/Murray combination.

    Also, Hines at 6? Has McGeechan run out of options?

  • 20.Bagel: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:43 pm

    #15 XhosaKid: Love the team, but why the persistance with Sauls in your posts. I have heard from players who played under him that he is distinctly average and it’s not a race thing because the same player told me Coetzee has been very good and influencial to him.

    Do you know something about Sauls I don’t?

  • 21.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 13:47 pm

    #19 katman: at 7 yeah, so Worsley moves across again.

  • 22.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 14:00 pm

    1. Jenkins Smit (Evens)
    2. Mears DuP (Adv Bok)
    3. Jones/Vickery Beast (Adv Bok)
    4. Wyn-Jones Matfield (Adv Bok)
    5. O’Connell Botha (Adv Bok)
    6. Croft Smith (Adv Bok)
    7. Williams Rossouw (Evens)
    8. Heaslip Spies (Evens)
    9. Phillips Du P (Adv Bok if Scrum gets edge)
    10. Jones Pienaar (Evens)
    11. Fitzgerald/Monye JPP (Adv Bok)
    12. Roberts JdV (Evens)
    13. O’Driscoll Jacobs (Evens)
    14. Bowe Habana (Evens)
    15. Byrne Steyn (Adv Lions)

    Guys when I look at this player for player the Boks are looking good. The Lions will not dominate at scrum time.

    Their backline chemistry will be good and defence will be good. Although the Lions rush defence is much vaunted, I think the Boks have a pretty good Blitz. I wonder how Jones or O Gara will fare when the immense pressure from Bok loosies and chasers, and runners at the FH 1C channel are employed.

    Roberts defence also hasnt been tested in that area either.

    I also dont think the boks will be too rusty. I think they will be raring to go and will be adequately rested.

  • 23.XhosaKid: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 14:02 pm

    #20 Bagel: Yes, besides winning the first U/21 WC with John Smith as his captain in 99 in Argentina, a farely successful career coaching in Ireland, just look at the current team in Japan and look at their results, its actually difficult to understand why he hasn’t coached a provincial team

  • 24.Supa 14 Kampioene!: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 14:03 pm

    #15 XhosaKid:

    good team, except no 6 – thats the weak link.

  • 25.Supa 14 Kampioene!: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 14:04 pm

    #15 XhosaKid:

    Make the loosies:

    Stegmann
    Potgieter
    Kanko

    then they would mean business!

  • 26.XhosaKid: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 14:06 pm

    #23 XhosaKid: Actually, Jake White used to be Eric’s assistant, funny how their careers have developed

  • 27.Breakdown Boy: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 15:01 pm

    This is a 2nd to 3rd XV right here. Don’t think they need anything more to beat the Kings, they are probably scared that De Wet Barry might bring Jamie Roberts’ back to earth, with lekker hard “duik slag”.

  • 28.jonnymain: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 15:13 pm

    Big slap in the face for Mike Blair

  • 29.SpringbokSarah: Reply to this comment
    15 Jun 2009, 15:15 pm

    Donncha wish your team had talent like mine?

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